Attachment for knitting machines



OC 30, 1934. F. G. wElsBEcKl-:R

ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 23. 1934 lil Patented Oct. 30, i934 Mar .ATTACHMENT FOR KNHTTING MACHINES Frank G. 'Weisbecken Glenside, Pa., assignor to Arcadia Hosiery Company, Lansdale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 23, 11.934, Serial No. 7112,61@

i12 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in knitting machines, and more particularly to an improved device for operating the thread carrier bars in their usual path of movement in a machine of this kind.

.In nat knitting machines now generally used, suchvfor example as those used for producing full fashioned hosiery and other similar knitted articles, the thread carriers are mounted upon and move with bars that are commonly called thread carrier bars. These bars may extend for the full length of the knitting machine which is composed of 'wie and up to thirty sectibns or more. The thread ci :rier bars are reciprocated longitudinally oi the machine, and the limit of their movement is controlled by i'lxed stops arranged g Overcome.

on the knitting machine.

Heretoore, the thread carrier bars have been individually driven by a, number of so-called friction boxes (one for each carrier bar) distributed along a friction box rod which extends parallel with the thread carrier bars and is connected to be reciprocated by the. Well known Coulier drive of the knitting machine.r Whenever the character' of the knitting operation is changed by adding or changing threads, the friction boxes must be individually adjusted to terminate or initiate the movement of the corresponding carrier bars. In the past, the change-over has ybeen made by the operator manipulating a control lever mounted on each friction box, or, in some machines by automatic regulation of the friction boxes.

These prior known devices have certain disadvantages which the present invention .seeks to As the prior friction boxes were spaced apart, and may extend for a considerable distance along the machine, the manual control loperations consumed. appreciable time during which the knitting machine must be stopped to permit of changing adjustments. The automatic means involves complicated and expensive mechanisms.

'It is, therefore, um principes object of this nivention to 4simplify the drive for the thread carrier bars.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a single4 device capable -oi simultaneously driving,

any or allot the carrier bars so that each carrier bar-may have independent movement.

It is also an object of this invention to provide means for driving the carrier bars `which may be manually controlled and will permit a substantial reduction in time that ythe knitting ma- `chine is idle, while the carrier bars are being picked up or dropped by the. respective driving means. In fact, an alert operator skilled in the use of this invention may make all the necessary adjustments in the drive for the carrier bars when threads are being changed or added, With- @il out actually stopping the knitting machine. In practice, it has been found that by the use of this invention the production of full fashioned hosiery per machine has been substantially increased.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a simple drive for the thread carrier bars which permits the use of a simplified automatic control.

A further object of this invention is to provide a drive for thread carrier bars having means capable of adjustment for simultaneously changing the maximum movement of all the thread carrier bars.

Another aim of this invention is to secure the Jb foregoing objects in a control mechanism having the form of an attachment capable of being readily applied to the standard type of nat knitting machines without entailing any material changes either in their construction or normal mode of operation.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the detailed description following.

In the attached drawing, which discloses a preferred embodiment of this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the attachment embodying this invention and operatively positioned with relation to the thread -carrier bars of a knitting machine;

Figure 2 is an elevational view partly in cross section, of the attachment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed cross sectional view taken on line lIIL-III of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the attachment is shown applied to a conventional nat knitting machine having the usual carrier bars 1, thread carriers 2, supporting brackets and guides 3 for the carrier bars, and an adjustable carrier bar stop device 4, the specific details of which form no part of this invention.

The attachment or device referred to generally by the reference numeral 5 comprises a drum 6 supporting rods 13 and 14, at front and rear of machine respectively. These rods 13 and 14 constitute no part of the invention, and may be any fixed parts of the machine which will conveniently support this attachment. For purposes of il'- lustration, part of bearing 11 and rod 13 are not shown in Figure 1.

As will be seen from the drawing, the left end of shaft 8 extends beyond the rear bearing 12, and has secured to it a crank arm 15. Key 16 and set screw 17 secure the crank arm 15 to the shaft 8. The crank arm 15 carries a slide 18 whichl may be adjusted along the length of the crank arm and held in the adjusted position by means of set screw 19. A link 20 is pivotally' secured to slide 18 and sleeve 21 by means of pins 22.

The sleeve 21 is xed to and moves with a reciprocating rod 23 which may conveniently be driven from the usual'Coulier drive. Rod 23, however, may be any driving element on the machine which will give the desired oscillatory move.- ment to crank arm 15 though means such .as link 20.

It is to be understood that crank arm 15 is shown in an upstanding position for purposes of convenient illustration, and that this arm may assume other driving positions about its axis, that driving position' being chosen which will be most convenient for coupling the arml to a moving element of the machine, such as reciprocating rod 23.

Drum 6 is held against axial movement in the bearings by means of collars 24 and 25, secured respectively to shaft 8 and drum extension 7.

A plurality of channels 26 comprising annular surfaces 27 and annular ribs 28 are formed in drum 6, and each channel may receive a friction unit or band indicated in general by reference numeral 29. In general, there are as many friction units 29 as carrier bars, although 'it will be understood a less number of friction units may be provided if it is so desired. Each friction unit is designed to operate a separate carrier bar 1.

' As the'friction units are identical in construction, operate in the same way, and are similarly controlled, a detailed description of the construction, operation, and control-fof one friction unit will be suflicient for an understanding of this invention.

Each friction unit 29 comprises a split band 30 of metal, or other suitable material, having a lining 31 of leather, or other suitable material, `secured to its inner circumference. An ear 32,

C5' on the band 30. a link 33,` and a plate 34 mounted 'on the carrier bar serve as the driving connection between the friction. unit and its carrier bar.

"The means for controlling each friction unit 29 comprises upstanding lugs 35, 36 formed on adjacent ends of theband 30, a strap or-link 37 extending across the outer face of lug 35 and along both sides of lugs 35 and 36, and a cam lever 38 pivotally supported by strap 37 so that its cam face 39 may have engagement with outer face 40 of lug '36. A set screw 41 extending through strap 37 and bearing on the lug 35 provides means for adjusting the degree of frictional engagement between the friction unit and drum 6 when cam lever 38 is moved clockwise (Figure 3) to draw lugs35 and 36 together and cause the friction band to grip the annular surface 27 of drum 6.

In the operation of the attachment shown in the drawing, the reciprocating bar 23 through -link 20 and crank arm 15 oscillates the drum 6.

and 3) and will not move therewith, as the inertia. and resistance to movement of the carrier bars will be suiiicient to resist any tendency of y the friction units 29 to oscillate with the drum. When it is desired to operate any one of the carrier bars 1, the cam lever 38 of the friction member adapted to4 drive that particular carrier bar is moved clockwise (as Viewed in Figure 3). 'I'his movement of the cam lever will cause the friction member 29-31 to contract, and frictionally grip the drum 6 so that they will oscillate together. The carrier bar being driven will then move longitudinally in the direction of the drive until stopped by the usual end stop (not shown) The carrier bar will then halt further movement of the yfriction unit and the latter will slip on the drum while the latter continues its oscillatory movement in the same direction. When the drum reverses its movement, however, it will pick up the contracted friction member and the correspending carrier bar, and the latter will be carried along in the opposite direction until it engages another' end stop (not shown).

Each friction unit or band 29 may be readily controlled by means of its cam lever 38 at any time during the operation of ythe knitting machine to terminate or initiate the drive of the particular carrier bar with which it is associated.

By adjusting slide 18 along the crank arm 15, the amplitude ofmovement of the arm, and hence the extent of movement. of the carrier bars, may be changed as desired. If the slide be moved towards the outer end of the arm, the amplitude of angular movement of the drum, as well as of the arm, is decreased, and each friction be used on leggers, footers, and dat knitting ma' chines, and is adapted for use on machines for straight knitting, plating and/or split work. Other uses of this invention will be apparent from the foregoing' description and accompany(-V ing drawing. j v

While one embodimentv of this-invention has been shown and described, other forms and modifications embodying the invention may be readily devised within the spirit and scope of the invention, as dened in the following claims. I claim:

' 1. In a knitting machine having a drivingelement and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the said bars to thereby move the thread carriers in their usual paths, the said attachment comprising a member connected to the driving element of the machine to receive motion therefrom, and means comprising a plurality of impositive connections positioned at a single control point for selectively connecting said member to the individual carrier bars each connection being -coupled to a carrier bar for imparting impositively reciprocating motion thereto, the said impositive connections being such as 'to yield upon stoppage of a carrier bar while maintaining the driving connection potentially operative.-

2. In a knitting machine havingY a driving eleilo ment, and a 'plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachmentfor reciproacting the said bars to thereby move the thread carriers in their usual paths, the said attachment comprising a single member connected to the driving element of the machine toreceive an oscillatory motion therefrom, and means comprising a plurality of impositive connections positioned at a single control point for selectively connecting said member to the individual carrier bars each connection being coupled to a carrier bar for imparting impositively reciprocating motion thereto, the said impositive connections being such as to yield upon stoppage of a carrier bar While maintaining the driving connection potentially operative.

3. In a knitting machine having a driving element and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the said bars to thereby move the thread carriers in their usual paths, the said attachment comprising a member connected to the driving element of the machine to receive an oscillatoryr motion therefrom, and means comprising a plurality of impositiva connections for selectively connecting said member to the individual carrier bars each connection being coupled to a carrier bar for impositively imparting reciprocating motion thereto, the said impositive connections being such as to yield upon stoppage of a carrier bar While/maintaining the driving connection potentially operative, said member and means being positioned at a single control point.

d. In a knitting machine having a driving element and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the said bars to thereby move the thread carriers in their usual paths, the said attachment comprising a member arranged transversely of said carrier bars and connected to the driving element of the machine to receive `an oscillatory motion therefrom, a plurality of friction units, each of said unitsv being secured in driving. relation to an individual carrier bar, and means for eecting driving engagement and disengagement between the individual friction units and said member.

so l

5. In a knitting machine having a driving element and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the said bars to thereby` move the thread carriers in their usual paths, the saidvattachment comprising a member having a plurality of annular surfaces and arranged transversely of said carrier bars and connected to the driving element of thev machine to receive an oscillatory motion Vtherefrom, a plurality offriction bands, each of said bands encircling one of saidannular surfaces and being secured in driving relation to an individual carrier bar, and means mounted on each of said friction bands for releasably effecting frictional engagement between the band and the annular surface.-

6. In a knitting machine having a driving element and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the said bars to thereby move the thread carriers inl their usual paths, the said attachment comprisingi'a member connected to the driving element ,of the machine to `peceive oscillatory motion therefrom, means positioned at a single control `point for selectively connecting said member to the vindividual carrier bars for imparting impositively reciprocating motion thereto, and

^ means for altering the driving relation between said driving element and said member for varying the amplitude of oscillation of said member.

7. In a knitting machine having a driving element, a thread carrier and a carrier bar, an attachment for reciprocating the said bar to thereby move the thread carrier in its usual path, the said attachment comprising a member connected to the said driving element of the machine to receive oscillatory motion therefrom, a friction band encircling said member and being secured in driving relation to the said carrier bar, and adjustable means for releasably contracting said friction band about said member and causing said band to frictionally grip said member.

8. In a knitting machine having a driving element, a thread carrier and a carrier bar, an attachment for reciprocating the said bar to thereby Vmove the thread carrier in its usual path, the

said attachment comprising a member connected to the said driving element of the machine to receive oscillatory motion therefrom and having an external annular surface, a split friction band encircling said annular surface, means for securing said band and the carrier bar in driving relation, and means for effecting driving engagement and disengagement between said friction band and said annular surface, said lastnamed means comprising an upstanding lug at each of the adjacent ends of said band, a cam v lever, and a strap extending around one of said 195 lugs and pivotally supporting said lever for engagement with the outer face of the other lug.

9. In a knitting machine having a driving element and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the 11G said bars to thereby move the thread carriers in their usual paths, the said attachment comprisy ing a drum having an axial extension, a shaft extending through said drum and secured thereto, said shaft being connected to the driving tw element of the machine to receive oscillatory motion therefrom, a xed bearing at each end of said drum, one of said bearings receiving said drum extension, the other of said bearings receiving said shaft, a plurality of friction bands encircling said drum, each of said bands being secured in driving relation to an individual carrier bar, and means for effecting driving engagement and disengagement between said friction bands and said drum.

l0. In a knitting machine having a driving element and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the said bars to thereby move the thread carriers in their usual paths, the said attachment compris- 180 ing a drum connected to the driving element of the machine to receive oscillatory motion therefrom, said drum having a plurality of annular channels and secured to an individual carrier bar in driving relation, and means for effecting driv- -ing engagement and disengagement between said friction bands and said drum.

11. In a knitting machine having a driving element and a plurality of thread carriers and carrier bars, an attachment for reciprocating the said bars to thereby move, the thread carriers in their usual paths, the said attachment comprising an oscillatable member, a plurality of friction units, each of said friction members being secured indriving relation to an individual carrier bar, means for eifecting driving engagement and disengagement between said friction units and said member, a crank arm connected to said oscillatable member, and a driving link connectbar, and thereby reciprocating motion v to the bar, each friction unit becoming inoperative by stoppage of its carrier bar while saiddriving element continues in its normal move# ment and means for individually controlling said friction units, said device and means being positioned and controllable at a single control point. i

FRANK G. WEISBECKER. 

